Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-25
VERONA BALDWIN.
She Flees from the johnson
Mansion.
HER DOOR LOCKED.
She Escaped through a Window
aud was Reported to be
Abducted.


although this interesting event will no
take place for almost week, the Majo
evidently intends that he will not los
sight Of Miss Baldwin until It ha
been effected. Yesterday morning early
it was discovered that Verona was not il
her room in the johnson Mansion, AMI
as the door was locked and the screen O
the window down it was surmised tha
she had either been abducted or had fed
Consequently the Major did not rest eas,
until he was infvlme of her where
abouts. A representative of the HERALr
hearing the wild rumors which were
floating about learned that she had re.
turned to her room ut the johnson Man.
sion and called upon her for the purpose
of hearing what she had to say on the
subject.
When he arrived Miss Baldwin was
in the garden cultivating the flowers,
but she cheerfulIy consented to tell ali
about the fears which beset her on the
night previous. She stated that she
had gone to her room, which is on the
lower floor of the house, adjoining the
parlors, early in the evening and had
entert .ined Mrs. Perkins. Shortly after
8 o'clock Mrs. Perkins left her and after
II few moments she attempted to leave
the room but to her surprise found the
door would not open. She could see
no key on the inside of the door and
Il It impressed her as being still more
strange. She then applied her eye to
the keyhole and saw the key in the
lock and also observed that it had been
turned on the ou side of the door.
After her past treatment she could not
help being suspicious and she thought
at once that either some one had locked
her there for no good purpose or else
that some partles were trying to gain
possession of her to take her
to the Insane Asylum. She had
seen two men sitting on the
piazza talking about E J. Baldwin and
had heard one say to the other that
some man passing the Pico House was
Baldwin, aud Immediately her fright was
greater, thinking that her imprisonment
was due to his agents.
When she found the door was locked
she called out several times, but receiv.
ing no answer went to the window and
pushing the screen out crawled to
the ground aud went to the back door,
which was also locked. She called
again, this time for admittance to the
house. but no one coming or answering,
she went down to Main street, where she
saw policeman. and after telling him
that some one had locked her in her
room, she visited the Office of Mr.. Lucas,
a private detective and friend of her
family in Oregon. She told him that
she had been locked in her room and
that she would not 20 back, but wanted
him to engage a room where she could
stay without being subj -cted to such
Mr.. Lucas took her to the st.
Elmo Hotel, where she obtained room
for her, registering her as Mrs. Clark,
so that no one would know that Verona
was there, in case the register
should be inspected. Yesterday morn.
i, G she awoke late, owing to having been
kept awake by music in the hotel, and
she saw in the morning papers that she
was to be witness for Major Bell. Shs
then went to q restaurant and took
breakfast, and was on her way to the
M. jor's office when he was met by
Charles Bell.
Verona said she had always
considered Mrs. Perkins her friend !,
and she aid not know why
she should have locked her door, but
Mrs. Perkins had explained that she had
not knowingly locked the door, and she
believed her. She was not afraid of
being murdered or killed, but she would
not 60 to the insane asylum again, when
she knew she was not insane, and she
would do all in her power to give relief
to the unfortunates who were confined
in the asylum. She had not been insane
when she was sent to the asylum, and
she knew there were others who were
not insane. but are kept there and treated
IN horrible way.
Mrs. Perkins said that she lett the
room and had no recollection of locking
the door. 1t was probable, however,
that she had locked the door instinc-
lively, the key being on the outside, but
she was a friend to Verona and would
do nothing to injure or alarm her.
Under Sheriff Mitchell was notified
yes erday morning that something was
wrong with Miss Baldwin, that she had
been abducted or had disappeared, and
he visited the johnson Mansion aud
examined the premises. He found the
screen down, and also noticed marks of
Miss Baldwin's skirts and boots ON the
window.sil and ON the ground below
Without knowing the circums !ances, Mr..
Mitchell supposed something had hap
pened to her, snd was about to employ
the forces of his Office to search for her,
when he was notified that she had been
found.
When Major Bell received word yes.
terday morning that Verona was missing
he hurried to the scene of the alleged
abduction and made an examination OF
the premises. He then went to the
police station, where he related his fear
and his suspicious.
The Major was certain tha
she had been abducted or car
ried off and murdered, but after hel
return to her room he was seen on the
street and explained the matter in al
entirely different manner, which changed
the aspect of affairs.
He said that she had not been feeling
well and had taken some medicine. She
had retired and left the key on the out
side of the door and the servant in pass.
ing through the hall had seen the key
in the door, and supposing she wss ou,
turned it. The medicine operated and
Miss Verona arose. and not being able
to open the door in her haste, and not
desiring to awaken the house, went to
the back of the house, using the window
as means of exit. Afterwards she had
not been able to get back through the
window and not desiring to disturb the
people of the house, had taken walk
down town and had taken . room else
where. She slept late and the fact OF
her not being in her room was consid-
ered o. suspicious. Taken altogether
The matter was either of very little mo.
ment or else there was something under
meath which has not yet transpired and
which may possibly be developed at the
taking of her testimony.